15 Maryland high school football games to watch in 2024

Maryland high school football is set to start on the weekend of Aug. 24 and there will be a host of exciting matchups involving squads from the Old Line State

WCAC champion Good Counsel will travel south on Aug. 30 to face Columbus, winners of two straight Florida state championships / Troy Queen

Maryland high school football is set to start on the weekend of Aug. 24 and there will be a host of exciting matchups involving squads from the Old Line State. 

Here are 15 games that are worth checking out this season.

1. Good Counsel at Columbus (Fla.), Aug. 30

The Columbus Explorers will offer Good Counsel a major early reason road test in a contest with national implications. / Matt Christopher

The Falcons, the state’s No. 1 team in 2023 and the reigning Washington Catholic Athletic Conference champion, make their season debut in the Sunshine State against the two-time defending Florida Class 4M state champions. 

2. DeMatha Catholic at Archbishop Spalding, Aug. 31

Year in and year out, DeMatha football remains a key measuring stick for teams in the DMV region. Archbishop Spalding will test itself against the Stags on Aug. 31. / Troy Queen

The two-time defending Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference champ Cavaliers welcome the perennial Washington Catholic Athletic Conference powerhouse in a matchup of likely preseason Top 5 squads in Maryland.

3. Henry A. Wise at Maury (Va.), Sept. 6

The Wise Pumas closed their 2023 season celebrating the MPSSAA Class 4A state championship, but they opened with a loss to Virginia Class 5 state champ Maury. The Pumas will seek to avenge that defeat on Sept. 6. / John Bowers

The defending Class 4A state champ Pumas start the 2024 campaign against reigning Virginia Class 5 state champ Maury, which handed Wise its only loss last season.

4. Fort Hill vs. Dunbar, Sept. 13

Dunbar, looking for a fourth consecutive state championship, renews its rivalry with Western Maryland power Fort Hill when the Sentinels travel to Baltimore for a clash at Morgan State University on Sept. 13. / John Bowers

The three-time defending Class 1A state champ Sentinels make their way from Western Maryland to Baltimore City's Morgan State University for their first match-up with the Poets (reigning three-time 2A/1A state champ) since the 2017 1A state title game. It's always a classic when these two meet.

5. Freedom (Va.) vs. DeMatha, Sept. 13

Reigning Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year Jeff Overton Jr. (6) will lead Virginia state champ Freedom against DeMatha on Sept. 13th. / VirginiaPreps.com

This will be one of the top matches in the DMV as DeMatha collides with the two-time reigning Virginia Division 6 champs, at the Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex, who enter the season on a 29-game winning streak. 

6. McDonogh School at Archbishop Spalding, Sept. 13

University of Maryland commit Malik Washington (4) led Archbishop Spalding to a victory over McDonogh in the 2023 MIAA A Conference championship game. Both teams have title aspirations again this year and will collide in the regular season on Sept. 13. / John Bowers

Spalding begins pursuit of a third consecutive MIAA A Conference championship with a title game rematch with the Eagles, who are poised to make a challenge once again in 2024.

7. Riverdale Baptist at Good Counsel, Sept 13

Good Counsel will face tough regional competition outside of the WCAC when it tangles with Riverdale Baptist. / Michael Smith

Riverdale Baptist, boasting several Power 4 recruits, gets its first stern challenge with a visit to the defending WCAC champ Falcons, who were the No. 1 team in Maryland last fall.

8. St. Frances at Duncanville (Texas), Sept. 14

St. Frances' annual pursuit of top national competition will see them travel to face national powerhouse Duncanville and its 5-star quarterback Keelon Russell, an Alabama-commit, on September 13. / Photo by Robbie Rakestraw, SBLive

The Panthers, playing another daunting  schedule, visit Texas for a SBLive.com/Sports Illustrated Top 15 national showdown with two-time defending Class 6A Division I champions Duncanville.

9. St. Frances at Mater Dei (Calif.), Sept. 20

After a narrow loss in Baltimore last season, St. Frances will travel to the west coast to clash Mater Dei, the nation's No. 1 team, on Sept. 20. / Joh Bowers

It continues. Playing arguably the nation’s toughest schedule, St. Frances (No. 15 in SBLive/Sports Illustrated Top 25) takes on the country’s top-ranked squad in Mater Dei, which held off the Panthers last year in Baltimore.

10. Oakdale at Linganore, Sept. 27

When Frederick County rivals Oakdale and Linganore last met, the Bears hoisted the MPSAA Class 3A state championship trophy. Linganore gets an early season rematch on Sept. 13. / Derek Toney

Linganore will have extra incentive as Frederick County (Md.) rival Oakdale comes calling in a rematch of last year’s Class 3A state championship match, won by Oakdale to complete a perfect 14-0 campaign.

11. Henry A. Wise at Charles H. Flowers, Oct. 18

Charles H. Flowers will be looking for redemption from a lost 2023 season while the state champion Wise Pumas will seek to continue the dominance in Prince George's County, when the PG rivals meet on Oct. 18. / John Bowers

Wise faces arguably their toughest opponent in Prince George’s County (Md.) play in Flowers, which forfeited its 2023 victories (9-1 during regular season; only loss to Wise in OT) for having an ineligible player.

12. Dunbar vs. Mervo, Oct. 18

Very few teams in the state of Maryland have given the Dunbar football program a hard time, but Mervo, which also hails from Baltimore City, has given the Poets fits. The two meet at Morgan State University on Oct. 18. / Derek Toney

Arguably the top rivalry in Baltimore City is renewed as the three-time reigning Class 2A/1A champ Poets take on the defending 4A/3A champ Mustangs with the Baltimore City Division I crown at stake.

13. Good Counsel vs. DeMatha Catholic, Oct. 18

When they met in last year's WCAC championship game, Good Counsel and DeMatha battled in a driving rain and it turned into another classic. They will square for the first time in 2024 on Oct. 18 at Prince George's Sports & Learning Complex. / Troy Queen

After two close decisions last year - both won by Good Counsel - the Falcons and Stags meet in what could be another Washington Catholic Athletic Conference title game preview.

14. Northwest at Quince Orchard, Oct. 25

This is likely the “Game of the Year” in Montgomery County (Md.) as Quince Orchard seeks payback after Northwest ended its bid for a third straight Class 4A championship in the state quarterfinals last November.

15. IMG Academy (Fla.) vs. St. Frances, Nov. 11

The names and faces may change, but St. Frances vs. IMG Academy has become one of the country's best national rivalries. The Panthers will host the Ascenders at Morgan State University on Nov. 11. / John Bowers

After 10 road games to start the season, the Panthers finally play in Baltimore against IMG (No. 4 in SBLive/Sports Illustrated Top 25), at Morgan State University, in a game that could have huge implications in the national title chase.